This book identifies the main challenges Chinese agriculture is confronting and considers how these challenges might be met. The performance of China's agricultural production is comprehensively assessed while the factors that affect agricultural productivity are examined through detailed econometric analysis and up to date nationally representative data.

Contents: Introduction: China's agricultural development: challenges and prospects, Xiao-Yuan Dong, Shunfeng Song and Xiaobo Zhang. Overview of the Challenges and Options: High performing Asian economies: retrospect and prospect, Robert W. Fogel; Several strategic and political thoughts on boosting rural development, Justin Yifu Lin; Conflicts and problems facing China's current rural reform and development, Xiwen Chen; China's rural economy and the path to a modern industrial state, Scott Rozelle and Jikun Huang; Rural development strategy in Western China under WTO, Shenggen Fan; Taiwan's agricultural development: experience and lessons, Chia-Chu Hou and Jack W. Hou. The performance and potentials of China's agriculture: production and productivity growth in Chinese Agriculture: new nation and regional measures, Shenggen Fan and Xiaobo Zhang; County-level agricultural production efficiency in China: A spatial analysis, Zhuo Chen and Wallace E. Huffman; Impact of land fragmentation on rice producers' technical efficiency in Southeast China, Shuhao Tan, Nico Heerink, Arie Kuyvenhoven and Futian Qu; Future prospects of grain supply and demand in China: a regionalized multi-market model simulation, Wencong Lu; How well will China handle its demand for grain when it peaks, Guanzhong James Wen. Agricultural Risk Management: Agricultural income risk and acreage decision in China: analysis of the alternative relationship between soybeans and corn, Qingsen Mao; Reforms, risks and commercial-cereal crop diversification: evidence from Chinese provinces, Weiyong Yang; An empirical analysis on farmer's demand of alternative types of insurance in China, Holly H. Wang and Guangwen He; Price behavior in China's wheat futures market, Wen Du and Holly H. Wang; Index.